George Brauchler is optimistic that for the first time in more than four decades the 18th Judicial District will elect someone from outside the current office to lead it.

And Brauchler hopes he’s that someone.

In what some perceived as stunning, Brauchler — a metro area private practice attorney and regional defense counsel in the U.S. Army Reserve — is, for now, the lone Republican on the ballot in the June 26 primary for District Attorney, receiving 47 percent of the vote in the district’s recent nominating assembly.

The seat is being vacated by Carol Chambers, who is term limited.

Brauchler defeated Chief Deputy District Attorney’s Leslie Hansen and John Topolnicki, and former state government liaison Robert Wareham, who all received less than 30 percent of the vote.

“I think it’s a repudiation of keeping the same people in office who are already there,” said Brauchler, who returned from a stint in Iraq last fall where he served as chief of military justice for the U.S. Army Division-North. “It’s the overall mood of the electorate to want new and fresh representation.”

Topolnicki and Wareham have ended their campaigns, however, Hansen — who many at the nominating assembly believed was the favorite — is petitioning to have her name on the primary ballot and has submitted signatures to the secretary of state’s office.

“I want to avail myself that opportunity and give the voters a clear choice for a nominee,” said Hansen, noting that only a small fraction of those at the assembly are a part of the overall district.

Under the rules, at an assembly a candidate has to get more than 30 percent of the vote to get on the ballot, and a candidate that receives between 10 percent and 30 percent can petition onto the ballot.

Brauchler presses the fact that not since 1968 — 19 years before Tim Tebow was born he notes — has an attorney who does not already work in the district attorney’s office been elected to the post.

“The best government is not the one you can serve in the longest, but the government that’s closest to the people,” Brauchler said

The 18th District encompasses Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties and is the most populated judicial district in Colorado.

The position is a Republican stronghold, and the candidate to win the primary will move on to face former Arapahoe County Judge Ethan Feldman, who is the lone Democrat in the race.

George Brauchler is a criminal defense attorney. He makes money defending people he knows committed heinous acts. He takes money from criminals. He goes to court and tries to get the off. Do not elect this person.

How is this republican “in line” to replace Chambers, the ethically challenged out going DA whose very first act upon being elected eight years ago was to demand from the citizens of Elbert, Lincoln, Douglas, and Arapaho counties a pay raise. I have met Judge Feldman and believe me he is a refreshing change over that woman now occupying the office. Apparently you are assuming that any candidate put up by the Greedy Old Party will win in JD 18. I believe the voters are smarter than that.

Northsider

I’m not generally a fan of term limits. But if they get a self-serving psychopath like Carol Chambers out of office, I guess there’s a silver lining.

Anonymous

Northsider, I had the exact same thought.
Bravo, sir!

New Day

What Dustyleather fails to mention is that George is also a military prosecutor who recently returned from Iraq where he served as the Chief of Military Justice. George has been a prosecutor in Jefferson County, in the US Military, and he has been the managing partner of a private law firm. George clobbered Carol’s hand picked successor, Leslie Hansen, at the GOP assembly and now they want to make him appear “soft on crime”. What Carol and her puppet Leslie fail to realize is that being tough on crime is more then just throwing the book at every person charged with a crime. George will restore honor and integrity to the 18th Judicial district.

John

If George were the right person for the DA’s office, he would already be a prosecutor. George is a “has been” deputy DA. His past periods of employment with the state as a prosecutor (2001 and 2006) ended badly. George is currently not employed and he basically needs a job. He has not worked as a state prosecutor for the last 6 years. Crime is down in District 18 and George has nothing to do with those figures. As the public well knows, staff turnover is inevitable; prosecutors leave to pursue other employment opportunities.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.